Govt continues efforts to involve the disabled in development: CA

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Chief Adviser (CA) Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Wednesday said the government is continuing all types of efforts to involve the disabled in the mainstream of development, reports BSS.
He said moral obligation lies with all, including the state, to ensure equal rights, privileges, and improved living standard with dignity for the disabled as guaranteed in the country's constitution.
The CA said this while inaugurating International Disabled Day-2008 at the Osmani Memorial Hall as the chief guest in the city.
The theme of the day is 'Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and Justice for All of US'. Special Assistant to the CA for Social Welfare Brig Gen (retd) MA Malek presided over the function.
High government officials, NGO representatives, male and female disabled children, among others, attended the function.
Social Welfare Secretary Dewan Zakir Hossain, managing director of National Disabled Development Foundation Mansur Ahmed Chowdhury and senior vice president of National Disabled Forum addressed the function.
Earlier, the CA released a commemorative postage stamp marking the 17th International Disabled Day.
The Chief Adviser said the government has formed National Disabled Foundation and provided Tk 1.55 billion (155 crore) as grant for development of the disabled.
"The disabled foundation will implement a five-year project- Promotion of Services and Opportunities to the Persons with Disabilities. About 200,000 disabled would be benefited from the project", he added.
The CA said, "We are introducing education stipend programme for the disabled students".